Determinants of sub-optimal complementary feeding practices among caregivers of children aged 6-23 months in low-and middle-income countries: Scoping review

Reneilwe Given Mashaba^*Maishataba Solomon Makwela

• University of Limpopo, Sovenga, South Africa

Background/Objectives: Low to middle income countries are burdened by undernutrition and malnutrition mostly affecting children aged less than 2 years due to inappropriate feeding prac-tices. Inappropriate feeding practices have been associated with irreversible damage such as stunting and cognitive delays. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to investigate factors that influence sub-optimal complementary feeding practices among caregivers of children aged 6– 23 months in low-and middle-income countries. A holistic view of these factors may assist in developing models to prevent inappropriate feeding practices. Methods: The scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Check-list. Results: One hundred and eight (1099) manuscriptspapers were included in the review with a sample size of about 1000028 cCaregiver/mother child pairs. Several themes were identified relating to factors that contribute to sub-optimal influence complementary feeding practices. These included social economic factors, maternal and caregiver's characteristics, child specific factors, cultural and societal influences, health and nutritional services, environment and living conditions, as well as barriers to optimal CF practice. Conclusions: This scoping review consolidated evidence from a substantial sample of more than one million mother-child pairs from different low-and middle-income countries. The sample size and diversity provide a strong, representative foundation for informing policy, practice, and future research directions. The present study highlighted that feeding practices are affected by multiple factors and that there are interlinks between determinants of sub-optimal CF. These factors of sub-optimal CF and their respective interlinks are different for different locations and should inform future intervention studies and preventative models to better address suboptimal CF The present scoping review highlighted that feeding practices are affected by different factors ranging from social economic factors, maternal and caregiver's characteristics, child specific factors, cultural and societal influences, health and nutritional services, environment to living conditions. Therefore, preventative models should focus on these factors to best alleviate inappropriate feeding practices in low to middle income countries.